Selective updating of nodes of a nodal wireless network

ABSTRACT

A network has wireless enabled nodes of more than one hardware type. A computing device obtains a software update for one of the node types and sends an announcement of availability through the network. The announcement includes a node type identifier. A node that recognizes the identifier as matching its own hardware type collects the software update through a series of one or more requested packet transfers from the controller. Each packet carrying part of the update also includes the node type identifier. A node of a different type that has received the packets may serve as a source of missing packets to other nodes. Alternatively, nodes needing missing packets can fetch them from the computing device. When the software update is completely received by a node of the identified type, that node reboots and executes the updated software. Any node of another type discards the packets.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present subject matter relates to techniques and equipment to updatenodal device programming, e.g. firmware or other software, over a nodalwireless network.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, nodal wireless networks have been deployed for avariety of monitoring, control and communication purposes. Non-limitingexamples of such networks include routed mesh networks and floodingwireless networks. The wireless enabled nodes or nodal devices of suchwireless networks typically are intelligent in that each nodal deviceincludes processor-based electronics to control communications and otherfunctions of the nodal device. Typically, the processor and thus thenode is configured by programming (e.g. software including executableinstructions and/or related data), which often takes the form offirmware.

The nodes of such a wireless packet data communication networkoccasionally require distribution of firmware (FW) or other softwareupdates. Various approaches to software distribution have been developedand/or deployed. One approach to deliver firmware changes or revisionsrequired that a technician or other individual having a mobile devicephysically approach each wireless nodal device and initiate an upload ofthe firmware update from the mobile device via a radio frequency (RF)connection with the respective wireless enabled nodal device. Such anapproach is manually intensive and may require an unacceptable amount oftime. More automated techniques have been developed.

For example, an Over-The-Air (OTA) update of nodal device programmingmay initially be delivered via point-to-point connections between acontroller and some number of wireless enabled nodes. Thereafter,delivery of the OTA update from one nodal device to another nodal deviceis triggered based on an update command. In a specific example, a meshprocedure for distribution of the firmware update is triggered based onan update command that is delivered via mesh networking between thewireless enabled nodes. Upon receipt of the update command, eachwireless enabled node determines whether or not the respective node haspreviously received and stored the revision of the firmware. Upondetermination that the respective wireless enabled node has stored therevision of the firmware, that node identifies a number of ‘neighbor’nodes located proximate the respective wireless enabled node as havingnot yet received and stored the revision of the firmware. For eachrespective one of the identified number of proximate wireless enablednodes: the previously updated node (a) establishes a communicationsconnection of the respective updated node with the respective identifiedneighboring wireless enabled node; and (b) delivers, via the establishedconnection, the revision of firmware to the respective identifiedneighboring wireless enabled node. Because the update command isdelivered via mesh networking, all of the wireless enabled nodes may seethe update command. However, due to structure of the update command andassociated detection process in the wireless enabled nodes that receivethe command, only those nodes that have previously received the updatewill prompt their neighbors to be updated. Each time the update commandis sent via mesh networking, the number of updated wireless enablednodes increases. Thus, after sending the update command only a limitednumber of times, all of the wireless enabled nodes will have receivedthe firmware update without requiring significant manual intervention.This automated firmware distribution approach is relatively effectivewhere the wireless enabled nodes are substantially the same and allutilize the same firmware and/or substantially the same updates thereof.

For a nodal network or system having wireless enabled nodes of differenttypes, e.g. with different radio circuits, processors, memories, sensorsor controlled equipment, the different node types require differentfirmware updates. An automated system example may include wirelessenabled nodes forming a mesh and an update manager. The wireless enablednodes are queried to determine existing hardware versions and/orfunctionalities. The query is sent via the wireless mesh network. AnOver-The-Air (OTA) firmware update communication load includes multipledifferent wireless enabled node type device firmware images, where eachimage corresponds to one of the existing hardware versions and/orfunctionalities of the wireless enabled nodes reported to the manager inresponse to the query. The update, including the appropriate images, isdelivered via point-to-point connections between the update manager andsome number of the wireless enabled nodes and/or between wirelessenabled nodes, using a procedure similar to that outlined in thepreceding paragraph. Upon receipt, individual wireless enabled nodesdetermine whether a device firmware image is needed and/or which of thefirmware images is appropriate and loads only the appropriate image forfuture use. Transmission of a firmware load for a particular network orsystem installation, with multiple images, however, may be timeconsuming and/or utilize excessive bandwidth.

SUMMARY

Hence, there is still a need for further improvement in technologies forupdates of software or other programming in a network of wirelessenabled nodes. Selective updating of programming in the examples entailsexchanges between a controller and one or more wireless enabled nodedevices.

A system, for example, includes a wireless enabled computing deviceconfigured as an update controller and wireless enabled nodes configuredinto a nodal wireless network with the wireless enabled computingdevice. The wireless enabled computing device includes a deviceprocessor, software storage, and a device radio frequency transceiver.Each respective wireless enabled node includes a node radio frequencytransceiver, a node processor, memory, and software stored in the memoryfor execution by the node processor to implement operations of therespective wireless enabled node. At least one of the wireless enablednodes is a node of a first type configured to execute stored software ofa corresponding first type. At least one other of the wireless enablednodes is a node of second type different from the first type of wirelessenabled node and configured to execute stored software of acorresponding second type different from the first type software.

The device processor configures the wireless enabled computing device toobtain a software update intended for each node of the first wirelessenabled node type and send an announcement of availability of thatsoftware update, through the wireless nodal network to the wirelessenabled nodes. The announcement includes an identifier of the first typeof wireless enabled node. The wireless enabled computing device is alsoconfigured to receive a packet request from the wireless enabled node ofthe first type through the wireless nodal network, sent in response tothe announcement including the identifier of the first type of wirelessenabled node. In response to the received packet request, the wirelessenabled computing device sends a number of packets from the wirelessenabled computing device through the wireless nodal network to thewireless enabled nodes. Each packet contains the identifier of the firsttype of wireless enabled node; and various ones of the packets containdifferent portions of the software update. The respective node processorof the wireless enabled node of the first type configures the wirelessenabled node of the first type to accumulate the portions of thesoftware update from received packets to obtain a complete copy of thesoftware update, based on recognition of the identifier of the firsttype of wireless enabled node in the packets, and to install thecomplete copy of the software update for future execution. Therespective node processor of the wireless enabled node of the secondtype configures the second type wireless enabled node to discard thereceived packets including the portions of the software update, based onrecognition of the identifier of the first type of wireless enabled nodein the received packets.

A method, for example, includes steps of obtaining a software updateintended for a first one of a plurality of different types of wirelessenabled nodes deployed in a wireless nodal network and operating awireless enabled computing device to send an announcement ofavailability of the software update through the wireless nodal networkto the wireless enabled nodes. The announcement includes an identifierof the first type of wireless enabled node. The wireless enabledcomputing device receives a packet request from at least one of thewireless enabled nodes deployed in the wireless nodal network. Thepacket request has been sent in response to the announcement, based on adetermination responsive to the identifier in the announcement that theat least one of the wireless enabled nodes is of the first type. Inresponse to the received packet request, the wireless enabled computingdevice sends a number of packets through the wireless nodal network tothe wireless enabled nodes. Each packet contains the identifier of thefirst type of wireless enabled node; and various ones of the packetscontain different portions of the software update. The method alsoincludes receiving the transmitted packets through the wireless nodalnetwork at the wireless enabled nodes. Based on recognition of theidentifier of the first type of wireless enabled node in the packets,each respective wireless enabled node of the fist type: (a) accumulatesthe portions of the software update from received packets to obtain acomplete copy of the software update, and (b) installs the complete copyof the software update for future execution. Another wireless enablednode, particularly a node of a second type different from the first typeof wireless enabled node, discards the received packets including theportions of the software update, responsive to recognition of theidentifier of the first type of wireless enabled node in the receivedpackets.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples willbe set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of thefollowing and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by productionor operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the presentsubject matter may be realized and attained by means of themethodologies, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing figures depict one or more implementations, by way ofexample only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like referencenumerals refer to the same or similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a high-level functional block diagram of a system, includingwireless enabled nodes and a wireless enabled gateway (example computingdevice) implementing an update controller.

FIG. 2 is a signal flow diagram, which depicts an example of a basicflow of message exchanges among a controller and two wireless enablednodes.

FIG. 3 is a logical flow chart, illustrating details of an exampleprocess flow of states in the controller (left) and a wireless enablednode (right) during an update process.

FIG. 4 is a high level functional block diagram of a light fixtureexample of a wireless enabled node having a first type of radio.

FIG. 5 is a high level functional block diagram of a somewhat differentlight fixture example of a wireless enabled node, e.g. having a secondtype of radio different from the first type of radio.

FIG. 6 is a simplified, functional block diagram of an example of ahardware platform for a gateway, as may be used in the example system ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a simplified functional block diagram of a computer that maybe configured as a host or server, for example, to function as a serverfor providing updates via the system example of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a simplified functional block diagram of a personal computeror other work station or terminal device usable for interaction with theserver for software updates and/or with the system in the example ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding ofthe relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilledin the art that the present teachings may be practiced without suchdetails. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components,and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, withoutdetail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the presentteachings.

In methods based on pushing a software update from a controller (e.g.implemented on a server or host computer or implemented on a gateway) towireless enabled nodes of a network, responsibility for managingimplementation and verification devolves upon the controller, which mustcheck that all wireless enabled nodes have accurately received thesoftware appropriate to them and otherwise manage the softwaredistribution. This leads to excessively high complexity at thecontroller end. In examples referred to below as “selective” softwareupdating, simplicity is achieved by putting each wireless enabled nodein charge of collecting its own copy of any applicable software update.

One approach for use in a flooding type nodal wireless network mightsend all packets of a software update image and flood portions of thesoftware update packet-by-packet to all wireless enabled nodes. Allradios at the nodes capture packets of the image of the software updateand rebroadcast the packets for communication to other wireless enablednodes. Wireless enabled nodes that need the image for updating software(e.g. are compatible with the software update) can load and reboot afteraccumulating the entire software update. Wireless enabled nodes that donot need the image for updating (e.g. are not compatible with thesoftware update) can discard the packets. Then, this process repeats foranother image.

Selective software updating in the examples described below and shown inthe drawings entails a series of exchanges between a controller and oneor more wireless enabled node devices. The controller, for example, agateway to the nodal network, contains in storage the software update tobe distributed. Any wireless enabled node in the network may receive thesoftware update and install the update in its memory for futureexecution if applicable to the respective node type. The controllertypically is connected to the Internet, through which it has receivedthe software update.

Selective software updating envisages networks that typically containnodes of more than one hardware type or vintage, and which thereforetake different software updates. In examples of selective softwareupdating described herein, the update controller first announces theavailability of a newly obtained software update to all the nodes of thenetwork, for example a flooding-type network. This announcement includesa “handle” carried in one or more fields of packets. An identifier inthe handle serves to restrict the software update to one device type orclass of wireless enabled node that is operating on the network. Thehandle may also indicate the update's size, e.g. the number of packetsneeded to carry the complete update identified in the handle. A nodethat recognizes the identifier in this handle as matching its ownhardware type identifier, e.g. radio type and/or type of other equipmentin or coupled to the node, collects the software update through a seriesof one or more requested packet transfers from the controller. A nodethat has part of the software update, e.g. a node of a different typethat will not execute the update of the identified type, may serve as asource of missing packets to other nodes in the network, if other nodesthat have determined they are missing packets request them.Alternatively, nodes needing missing packets can fetch them from thecontroller. When the software update has been completely downloaded by awireless enabled node that needs the update, the node reboots andexecutes the updated software thereafter. Any node that does not needthe update can discard the packets.

The selective software updating repeats for similar communication ofupdates of software for other types of wireless enabled nodes on thenetwork. In a large network with various numbers of nodes of differenttypes, packet requests for and responsive transmissions of packetsubsets for software for different node types may overlap somewhat inreal time.

The wireless enabled nodes may be nodes for wireless communication only.In many deployments, however, at least some of the wireless enablednodes have additional hardware for other purposes. For example, somenodes may include sensors, some nodes may include components to monitoror control equipment (e.g. equipment of a heating, ventilation and airconditioning system, access control system, surveillance and alarmsystem, or the like). For illustration and discussion purposes, some orall of the wireless enabled nodes in the specific examples haveadditional hardware for lighting related purposes. Most such nodes maytake the form of light fixtures or other types of luminaires thatinclude light sources and associated driver circuitry, although somelighting system type nodes may include lighting related sensors (e.g.occupancy sensors and/or ambient light sensors), whereas other lightingsystem type nodes may include user interface hardware (e.g. to serve aswall-switches or wall controllers for user control of the luminairenodes).

Software broadly encompasses executable program instructions andassociated data if any that a programmable processor-based deviceutilizes to implement functions defined by the software. Variouscombinations of programming instructions and associated data fall underthe broad scope of software. Firmware is a category of software.Although firmware may provide an operating environment for complexhigher layer application programs; for a lower processing capacitydevice, such as a wireless enabled node for a controlled system (e.g.fixture or other device in a lighting system), the firmware provides allthe programming for the data processing and operational control ofdevice hardware to implement the wireless communications and any otherfunctions of the particular device. The examples of software updatingshown in the drawings and described below serve to distribute an updateof firmware to wireless enabled nodes of a controlled system (e.g. of alighting system), although the updating technology may be utilized todistribute other types of software to wireless enabled nodes of varioustypes.

The term “luminaire,” as used herein, is intended to encompassessentially any type of device that processes energy to generate orsupply artificial light, for example, for general illumination of aspace intended for use of occupancy or observation, typically by aliving organism that can take advantage of or be affected in somedesired manner by the light emitted from the device. However, aluminaire may provide light for use by automated equipment, such assensors/monitors, robots, etc. that may occupy or observe theilluminated space, instead of or in addition to light provided for anorganism. However, it is also possible that one or more luminaires in oron a particular premises have other lighting purposes, such as signagefor an entrance or to indicate an exit. In most examples, theluminaire(s) illuminate a space or area of a premises to a level usefulfor a human in or passing through the space, e.g. general illuminationof a room or corridor in a building or of an outdoor space such as astreet, sidewalk, parking lot or performance venue. Examples ofluminaires include light fixtures for indoor and outdoor applications,floor lamps and table lamps; although luminaire related aspects of theexamples may be implemented in other forms of lighting devices. Theactual source of illumination light in or supplying the light for alight fixture or other type of luminaire may be any type of artificiallight emitting component, several examples of which are included in thediscussions below

Terms such as “artificial lighting,” as may be used herein, are intendedto encompass essentially any type of lighting that a device produceslight by processing of electrical power to generate the light. Anartificial lighting device, for example, may take the form of a lamp,light fixture, or other luminaire that incorporates a light source,where the light source by itself contains no intelligence orcommunication capability, such as one or more LEDs or the like, or alamp (e.g. “regular light bulb”) of any suitable type. The illuminationlight output of an artificial illumination type luminaire, for example,may have an intensity and/or other characteristic(s) that satisfy anindustry acceptable performance standard for a general lightingapplication.

The term “coupled” as used herein refers to any logical, optical,physical or electrical connection, link or the like by which signals orlight produced or supplied by one system element are imparted to anothercoupled element. Unless described otherwise, coupled elements or devicesare not necessarily directly connected to one another and may beseparated by intermediate components, elements or communication mediathat may modify, manipulate or carry the light or signals.

Light output from the fixture or other type of luminaire may carryinformation, such as a code (e.g. to identify the luminaire or itslocation) or downstream transmission of communication signaling and/oruser data. The light based data transmission may involve modulating orotherwise adjusting parameters (e.g. intensity, color characteristic ordistribution) of the illumination light output from the device.

Reference now is made in detail to the examples illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and discussed below. FIG. 1 illustrates an examplesystem 100, which includes a wireless enabled computing deviceconfigured as an update controller. Although other computing devices maybe used, in the example, the computing device is a gateway 101. Thegateway 101 serving as the wireless enabled computing device includes afirmware (FW) storage device 103, such as a hard disk drive or highcapacity semiconductor memory. The gateway 101 also includes a processorshown in a later drawing, which executes software programming 107 thatconfigures the gateway 101 as the update controller. The deviceprocessor may execute other software to implement other functions of thegateway 101. The gateway 101 also includes a device radio frequencytransceiver, which by way of example, may be circuitry in a BlueToothradio circuit of type n (BTn). This and other radio types will bediscussed in more detail later. Other radio technologies instead of orin addition to BlueTooth radios may be used in systems similar to theexample system 100.

The example system 100 also includes wireless enabled nodes 110configured into a nodal wireless network 117 with the gateway 101forming the wireless enabled computing device. Although other radiotechnologies may be used, the example utilizes several types ofBlueTooth radios (BT1 to BT4) in the example. Although other types ofnetworking or protocols may be utilized, the example network 117implements a “flooding” type wireless protocol.

Each respective wireless enabled node 110 includes a node radiofrequency transceiver, a node processor, memory, and firmware stored inthe memory for execution by the node processor to implement operationsof the respective wireless enabled node (as shown in later drawing FIGS.4 and 5). At least one of the wireless enabled nodes is a node of afirst type configured to execute stored firmware of a correspondingfirst type. At least one other of the wireless enabled nodes is a nodeof second type different from the first type wireless enabled node andconfigured to execute stored firmware of a corresponding second typedifferent from the first type firmware.

In the example, wireless communication transceivers of the nodes 110 andof the gateway 101 form the nodal wireless network 117. Although thenetwork 117 may use other networking technologies or protocols, theexample network 117 is a flooding (e.g. non-routed) type nodal wirelessnetwork. In such an example, the nodal network 117 implements a floodingtype protocol so as to distribute a transmitted packet from any sourceon the network throughout the nodal network 117. The gateway 101, forexample, is configured to introduce each downstream message packet intothe nodal wireless network 117, and the flooding through the network 117distributes the packet to all of the wireless enabled nodes 110 on thatnetwork 117. The payload of the packet is extracted and utilized(“consumed”) by each node 110 for which the payload is intended, e.g.based on a destination address of the packet, a group address in thepacket, or a node type identifier in the packet. If the same protocol isused for packet communications from the nodes 110, each node 110 isconfigured to introduce any upstream message packet into the nodalwireless network 117, and the flooding through the network 117distributes the upstream packet to gateway 101 and to all other wirelessenabled nodes 110 on that network 117. Typically, upstream messagepackets are addressed to the gateway 101, and the payloads thereof areonly consumed by the gateway 101 (e.g. to receive acknowledgements ofdownstream transmission or to receive status reports from light fixturesor other nodes on the network 117). In the selective update example,however, some nodes may also receive and respond to packet requests fromother nodes, e.g. to retransmit packets not yet properly received by theother nodes. In some network architectures, such as a BlueToothimplementation, the network 117 may also support some point-to-pointcommunications.

In one example, a message packet is received by all the other devices onthe network 117 directly from the sending device. For example, if thegateway 101 transmits a packet, all of the wireless enabled nodes 110are within range and directly receive the wireless broadcast of thatpacket. In another example, the message is received by some devices,typically some of the wireless enabled nodes 110; and the packet isretransmitted from some of the nodes 110 to one or more other devicesthat did not directly receive the initial transmission of the messagepacket from the sender. For downstream transmissions from the gateway101, for example, wireless enabled nodes near the gateway 101 directlyreceive the wireless broadcast of that packet, while nodes further awaydo not directly receive the packet. Instead, nodes that directlyreceived the packet may retransmit the packet for reception by othernodes. Hence, in an installation covering a large area, distribution ofpackets to all wireless enabled nodes 110 may involve hops or jumpsthrough multiple nodes in order to distribute a particular messagepacket from the gateway 101.

In one example implementation of the flooding protocol, each node 110that receives a packet determines if the respective node has previouslyseen the packet. When first received, the node stores an identifier fromthe packet. Then, when a packet is newly received, the node candetermine if it has a stored copy of the packet identifier to determinewhether or not the node previously received the packet. If previouslyreceived, the node can discard the packet without retransmission. If notpreviously received, the node retransmits the packet.

In another example flooding protocol, messages have a time to live (TTL)parameter in each packet. The TTL may be a set period of time, a setnumber of hops, or the like. The TTL may also be a configuration settingof how individual nodes are supposed to respond in response to receivinga message. For example, if TTL relates to number of hops, each node maybe configured to decrement the TTL setting upon receipt of a messagepacket and retransmit the packet only if the number is still above zero.

Also, nodes may be configured not to retransmit packets intended forconsumption by the particular nodes. In the firmware update example, awireless enabled node of a first would not retransmit a packet if thenode type identifier for the firmware in the handle of the packetindicates the first node type. Continuing with that example, wirelessenabled node of a second type (different from the first type) wouldretransmit a packet if the node type identifier for the firmware in thehandle of the packet indicates the first node type, since the content ofthe packet is not of a type intended for the particular second typewireless enabled node.

As noted above, at least one of the wireless enabled nodes 110 is a nodeof a first type configured to execute stored firmware of a correspondingfirst type; and at least one other of the wireless enabled nodes 110 isa node of second type different from the first type wireless enablednode and configured to execute stored firmware of a corresponding secondtype different from the first type firmware. The example in FIG. 1includes nodes 111 to 114 of four different types, as discussed in moredetail later.

Although the selective software updating technology may be utilized todistribute firmware or other types of software to generic wirelessenabled communication nodes, the examples of selective updating serve todistribute an update of firmware to wireless enabled nodes of acontrolled system. For example, some nodes may include sensors, and somenodes may include components to monitor or control equipment (e.g.equipment of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, accesscontrol system, surveillance and alarm system, or the like). Forillustration and discussion purposes, the system 100 is a controlledlighting system. In such a system 100, some or all of the wirelessenabled nodes 110 have additional hardware for lighting relatedpurposes. Hence, for illustration and discussion purposes, in theexample system 100, the wireless enabled nodes 110 take the form oflight fixtures or other types of luminaires that include light sourcesand associated driver circuitry (as shown by way of example in FIGS. 4and 5). Nodes with sensors or user interface elements are omitted forconvenience.

The wireless enabled nodes 110 of system 100 include nodes of at leasttwo different types that use corresponding different firmware images andreceive respective different compatible firmware updates. Theillustration shows a system 100 in which there are four different typesof nodes 111 to 114. Although other arrangements of processor, memoryand transceivers may be used, the examples use arrangements in which, ineach respective wireless enabled node, the node radio frequencytransceiver, the node processor and the memory are elements of a singleradio circuit. Such a radio circuit, for example, may include circuitsfor the node transceiver, node processor and node memory integrated as asingle chip device referred to as a system-on-a-chip (SoC). Forconvenience, further discussion below often focuses on SoC typeexamples, although as noted, wireless enabled nodes in a system with theselective update technology may use other arrangements of the radiocircuitry and/or of the overall circuitry of one or more nodes.

The radio transceivers may implement a variety of wireless communicationtechnologies/standards, such as BlueTooth, WiFi, Cellular 4G or 5G,Zigbee or the like. For illustration and discussion purposes, theexamples utilize BlueTooth radios. Since the SoC type radios useBlueTooth, they are identified in FIG. 1 as radios BT1 (121) to BT4(124). The wireless enabled node type of the light fixtures and thus ofthe BT radios may differ as to the circuit structure of the radio (e.g.different node processor, node memory with different capacity, ordifferent node transceiver circuit). Structurally different radios willhave different firmware images and receive different firmware updates.Even if the hardware structure of the BT radios is the same or similar,the node type may differ if other hardware differs, e.g. if the lightfixtures have different artificial light sources and/or different drivercircuits. Where the light hardware differs, for illustration purposes,the node and radio types differ (even if the radio hardware is the same)because such different fixtures require that the smart BT radios havedifferent firmware images and receive different firmware updates.

In the nomenclature of the example system 100 of FIG. 1, light fixtureswith the same BT number radio are nodes of the same type, having thesame radio, having the same lighting hardware (e.g. source and drivercircuitry) and therefore utilizing the same firmware image and receivingthe same type firmware updates. The BT radios in the example include theprocessor, memory and firmware for the respective node/fixture types. Inthe illustration, the light fixtures 111 of node type 1 have BT1 radios121, e.g. with the same initial generation radio circuitry and the samelight source (e.g. same number of LEDs) and thus the same driverhardware. Hence, the light fixtures 111 are wireless enabled nodes ofone node type, and the corresponding firmware image for such lightfixtures/nodes 111 will be the same.

Although only one is shown, the system 100 includes some number of thelight fixtures 112 that have a newer generation radio circuitry BT2(122). All the light fixtures 112 of the second type will have the samelight source as each other (e.g. same number of LEDs) and the samedriver hardware as each other. In the example, the BT1 and BT2 radios121 and 122, however, have different types of node processor and/or nodememories having different storage capacities. The BT2 firmware image maybe the same for some number of fixtures 112 if there are two or morelight fixtures with the BT2 radio at the particularpremises/installation. The light fixtures 111 and 112 may have a lightsource and driver circuitry similar to or different from those in thelight fixtures 111. Due to the difference in processor and/or memorycapacity of the BT2 radio from the BT1 radio, however, the firmwareimage for light fixtures 112 will be the different from the firmwareimage for the light fixtures 111. Also, the type 2 light fixtures/nodes112 will receive corresponding type 2 firmware updates that aredifferent from the type 1 firmware updates for the light fixture/nodes111.

For example, earlier generation light fixtures such as the lightfixtures 111 may have used a Nordic RF51 radio type SoC chip shown inthe example as radio BT1 (121). Newer model light fixtures 112 may use aNordic RF52 radio type SoC chip shown in the example as radio BT2 (122).The RF51 chip includes a M0 ARM type processor, whereas the RF52 chipincludes a M4 ARM type processor. The different RF51 and RF52 radiochips also have different amounts of flash memory, e.g. the RF52 hasmore flash memory and can store a larger firmware image for execution bythe more powerful M4 ARM processor than in the RF52 chip. As a result,the RF51 type radios BT1 (121) and RF52 type radios BT2 (122) requiredifferent firmware images and receive different firmware updates.

Continuing with the illustrated example, a given lighting systeminstallation 100 may have additional light fixture type wireless enablednodes with other lighting hardware for special purposes. As a result oflighting hardware differences, such nodes are different node types, forpurposes of firmware images and updates.

By way of a first example of such an alternate type fixture/node, anemergency light fixture 113 has a BT3 type radio 123. Some existinglighting systems use dedicated emergency lighting devices that switch orremain on when the lighting system of a building experiences a poweroutage. These lighting systems require emergency lighting devices inaddition to the light fixtures used for normal illumination. Theemergency light fixture 113 may provide path of egress illumination inan emergency, particularly an emergency that causes a loss of normalmains power to the regular illumination light fixtures in a particularpremises, such as fixtures/nodes 111 and 112. The BT3 radio circuit 123in the emergency light fixture node 113 may be similar to the BT1 radio121 or similar to the BT2 radio 122, but the power supply circuitry andlight source may be different from the source(s) and driver circuit(s)used for the general illumination light fixtures 111 and 112. Hence, atleast due to lighting hardware differences, the firmware image for anyemergency light fixtures 113 as stored and executed in the BT3 radio 123will be different from the firmware for light fixtures 111 and 112stored and executed in the respective radios 121, 122. As a result, thetype 3 light fixture/node 113 will receive different type firmwareupdates. The firmware image and updates for the BT3 radio node, however,may be the same for some number of fixtures 113 if there are two or moreemergency type light fixtures/nodes 113 at the particular premisesinstallation.

As an alternative or in addition to dedicated emergency lighting, alighting system 100 may utilize one or more instances of asingle/integrated lighting fixture 114 for both normal illumination andemergency illumination purposes thereby eliminating the need for aseparate set of (or so many separate) emergency lighting devices. Thefixture 114 is thus yet another type of wireless enabled node in theexample. The radio hardware circuitry BT4 (124) and possibly the lightsource in the dual purpose light fixture type node 114 may be similar tothose of light fixtures 111 or 112, but the power supply and thus thedriver circuitry will be different from those used for the generalillumination light fixtures. The emergency operation of these lightfixtures 114 typically requires detection of normal AC power loss by adevice that also is powered by a separate emergency circuit when needed,requiring additional high voltage wiring to the light fixtures 114.Hence, at least due to hardware differences, the firmware image for anydual purpose light fixtures 114 will be the different from the firmwarefor light fixtures 111, 112 and/or 113, although the 114 firmware imagemay be the same for some number of fixtures 114 if there are two or moresuch light fixtures 114 at the particular premises/installation. Statedanother way, for the operation to provide both general illumination andemergency illumination, the smart radio BT4 (124) that controlsoperation of the type 4 light fixture/node 114 uses yet another type offirmware image and receives another different type of firmware updates.

A system like the system 100 in the example may include other types oflight fixtures and/or other types of luminaires requiring differentfirmware images and receiving additional types of firmware updates.Also, although not shown, other lighting system elements such as wallcontrollers and sensors may be implemented as wireless enabled nodes ina system like the system 100. Each such additional type of wirelessenabled node for any additional type of light system element would useyet another different type of firmware image and would receive anadditional different type of firmware update.

In the example of FIG. 1, the wireless enabled computing device is agateway 101 in that it supports communications between the nodalwireless network 117 and one or more external networks, such as the widearea network (WAN) 131. The WAN 131 may be the Internet or an Intranetor the like. For communication with the WAN 131, the gateway 101 typecomputing device includes an appropriate network input/output (I/O)interface 109.

The drawing shows a host or server type network-connected computer 133and a laptop type user terminal device 135, as non-limiting examples ofexternal equipment that may communicate with the system 100 via thenetwork 131 and the gateway 101, for various data gathering or controlpurposes. For purposes of selective firmware updating, one or moreservers 133 on the WAN 131 may offer firmware updates as a cloud basedservice. Such a server 133 may advise the gateway 101 when an update isready for wireless enabled nodes of a particular type, via the WAN 131;and the gateway 101 communicates with the server to download anyavailable update for a type of node on the network 117 into storage 103of the gateway.

In general, the device processor configures the wireless enabledcomputing device (e.g. gateway 101) to obtain firmware updates for thedifferent types of wireless enabled nodes 111 to 114 operating on thenetwork 117, as needed or as they are created and become available fordistribution. Description of types 1 to 4 (or first, second etc.) withreference to the fixtures/nodes 111 to 114 and the associated firmwareimages and updates are given herein by way of non-limiting example only;and it should be apparent that any node/firmware/update type may beconsidered as the first, second etc.

For example, the device processor may configure the wireless enabledcomputing device (e.g. gateway 101) to obtain a firmware update intendedfor each node 111 of a first wireless enabled node type (designated type1 for this example only). The firmware update may be obtained fromstorage 103 if created and saved locally, or the update may be obtainedfrom a server 133 of a cloud based firmware update service andtemporally saved in the firmware storage 103 for use in the updateprocedure. The device processor may similarly configure the wirelessenabled computing device (e.g. gateway 101) to obtain a firmware updateintended for each node 112 of a second wireless enabled node type(designated type 2 for this example only), to obtain a firmware updateintended for each node 113 of the third wireless enabled node type(designated type 3 for this example only), and to obtain a firmwareupdate intended for each node 114 of the fourth wireless enabled nodetype (designated type 4 for this example only). Additional updates maybe similarly obtained for nodes of any additional wireless enabled nodetype configured in the network 117 at the particular premisesinstallation.

Having obtained a firmware update, the device processor also configuresthe wireless enabled computing device (e.g. gateway 101) to send anannouncement of availability of the firmware update, through thewireless nodal network 117 to the wireless enabled nodes 110. Asmentioned earlier, the network 117 in the example implements a floodingprotocol for at least some message communications, including at thispoint in the updating example for the communication of the updateavailability announcement. In such an example, the gateway 101effectively broadcasts the announcement that it has the firmware updateto distribute, and the system 100 spreads the announcement to all nodes110 via the flooding protocol of the network 117. The announcementincludes a “handle” having at least an identifier of the first type ofwireless enabled node, in this present example of the selective updatedistribution. In examples discussed more later, the handle includes apacket count that will carry the total content (e.g. all the programmingand any associated data) of the available firmware update.

Assume for purposes of further discussion that the update is intendedfor type 1 fixtures, in this case wireless enabled nodes 111 having BT1type radios 121. The announcement in this example includes the node typeidentifier corresponding to the light fixtures 111 having the firsttype/configuration radio BT1 (121). The wireless enabled computingdevice (e.g. gateway 101) is also configured to receive a packet requestfrom at least one of the wireless enabled nodes 111 of the first typethrough the wireless nodal network 117 sent in response to theannouncement including the identifier of the first type of wirelessenabled node.

In response to the received packet request, the wireless enabledcomputing device (e.g. gateway 101) sends a number of packets from thewireless enabled computing device through the wireless nodal network 117to the wireless enabled nodes 110. Each packet contains the identifierof the first type of wireless enabled node. Various ones of the packetscontain different portions of the firmware update. If a total packetcount number is given in the handle of the announcement for example, thehandle of each bearer packet contains a sequence number corresponding tothe number of the include portion of the update included in the payloadof the respective packet.

The gateway/device 101 may send a sufficient number of packets tocommunicate the entire image for the firmware update in one sequence,e.g. depending on parameters such as the image size, the packet payloadsize and the memory capacity of the particular node type. In otherexamples, the gateway/device 101 sends a smaller number of packets inresponse to an initial request, waits for a time, receives anotherrequest and sends more packets; and the sequence of request and packettransmissions repeats until enough packets are sent to communicate acomplete copy of the firmware update.

The respective node processor of a wireless enabled node of the firsttype, e.g. of any fixture/node 111 configures the wireless enabled nodeof the first type to accumulate the portions of the firmware update fromreceived packets to obtain a complete copy of the firmware update and toinstall the complete copy of the firmware update for future execution.In an example using a total packet count in the announcement andsequence numbers in the bearer packets, a complete copy of the updatemay be compiled by extracting the contents from all the appropriatelynumbered packets in the sequence up to the total count number indicatedin the announcement and ordering the extracted contents based onsequence numbers. Some packets may be received multiple times by awireless enabled node of the first type but may be disregarded if thatparticular node has already received a packet with the same sequencenumber. Also, if a node of the first type fails to receive a packet of aparticular expected number in the sequence, it can request aretransmission of the omitted packet.

The respective node processor of the wireless enabled node of the secondtype (e.g. of any of the fixtures/nodes 112 to 114 in the example)configures the other type(s) of wireless enabled node(s) to discard thereceived packets including the portions of the first type firmwareupdate, based on recognition of the identifier of the first type ofwireless enabled node (an identifier not matching the node type(s) ofsuch other wireless enabled nodes 112 to 114).

The example so far distributed a firmware update for the first type ofwireless enabled nodes, e.g. the light fixtures 111 of system 100 in thedrawing. The system 100 implements similar procedures to obtain,distribute and install firmware updates of different respective types ofthe other types of wireless enabled nodes 112 to 114 (and any otheradditional node types on the network 117).

FIG. 2 depicts the basic flow of message exchanges among a controllerand two illustrative wireless enabled nodes, one the computing devicehas a firmware update available for distribution. In this example, bothnode 1 and node 2 are wireless enabled nodes of the same node type, forexample, first type fixture/nodes 111 a and 111 b having the same typeBT1 type radio 121 like in the fixtures/nodes 11 shown in FIG. 1. Theseries of exchanges between the controller and Node 1 is as follows.

In step S1, the update controller broadcasts an announcement that newfirmware update is available. The “handle” portion of the announcementincludes an identifier for the hardware type that should install thefirmware update and, in this example, the overall total packet count fortransport of the complete firmware update. If the nodes targeted for theavailable update are first type nodes 111 having type BT1 type radios121 like in the fixtures, for example, the identifier in the handlewould identify that first node hardware type. The handle portion of theannouncement may also include other information, such as a versionnumber for the newly available update. As outlined above with regard tothe system 100 of FIG. 1, the wireless nodal network 117 distributes theannouncement of availability to all of the wireless enabled nodes 110 onthe network 117.

In step S2, each first type light fixture/node 1 (111 a or 111 b)receives the announcement and, in this case, recognizes from the typeidentifier in the handle that it should collect and install theidentified firmware update.

Node 1 (111 a) may accumulate the packet in random access memory (RAM)and forward it to other wireless enabled nodes in its vicinity (i.e.,rebroadcasts the packet). If Node 1 or any other wireless enabled noderecognizes from the packet's handle that the packet is not relevant toits own hardware, the wireless enabled node accumulates the packet inRAM but does not perform the further steps 4-9 below to capture thecomplete update and install the update for future execution. It does,however, share any packet it has in RAM with any wireless enabled nodethat requests that packet, thus acting as a “friend” to other wirelessenabled nodes in the firmware distribution process. Such a node of theother type will discard the packets containing the update firmware, e.g.after the update procedure is otherwise completed by the targeted typeone nodes. This process both other nodes is discussed further below withreference to the Node 2 portions of FIG. 3.

Returning to the nodes of the type identified in the handle of theannouncement, e.g. first type nodes 1 (111 a) and 2 (111 b), one or moreof the nodes send a packet request upstream through the network 117 tothe update controller 107 on the gateway 101. Such a transmission isresponsive to a determination by the node processor of the node 111 a or111 b that the node type identifier indicates the particular type ofhardware in the respective node 111 a or 111 b, in the example, that thenode 111 a or 111 b is a wireless enabled node of the first type. Ifmultiple nodes transmit multiple requests, the controller may parse outduplicate requests. The controller may also queue non-duplicativerequests, e.g. requests for subsets of packets at different points inthe overall packet sequence of the announced update or requests forpackets of different firmware updates identified in one or more otherannouncements.

For ease of illustration of an example, in step S3, the node 1 (111 a)transmits a packet request (Packet REQ message) through the wirelessnodal network 117 to the controller 107 on the gateway 101. The PacketREQ repeats back the original announcement's handle (e.g. at least thenode type identifier) to the controller. The packet request in theexample also specifies a starting packet sequence ID number and a subsetpacket count (generally a fraction of the total firmware update packetcount). The packet ID number from the sequence together with thefraction of the total count identify a specific packet group or rangeforming a subset of packets from among the overall sequence that willcarry the particular firmware update. The request thus identifies anumber of the packets that the controller is to send to Node 1 inresponse to the particular request, which at this point in thediscussion would be the initial subset of the packets.

In response to the received packet request, the wireless enabledcomputing device (gateway 101) sends a number of packets through thewireless nodal network to the wireless enabled nodes. Each packetcontains the identifier of the first type of wireless enabled node; andvarious ones of the packets contain different portions of the firmwareupdate. Hence, in step S4 of the example in FIG. 3, the controller 107on the gateway 101 responds to the packet request by sending a series ofresponse packet (Packet RSP) messages to the node 1 (111 a). Each ofthese response packets repeats the handle and also includes a packet IDnumber in the range indicated in the request and data (a portion of thefirmware update). A fixed delay between Packet RSP messages increasesthe probability of orderly, successful receipt. In the example with astarting packet ID and fraction in the packet request, the controllersends the requested packets in the range identified by the startingpacket ID fraction of the total packet count. In a flooding networkimplementation, a wireless nodal network like 117 can distribute each ofthe transmitted packets to all of the nodes 111 on the network (see FIG.1).

The receiving node 1 (111 a) accumulates the series of Packet RSPpackets (sent in S4) from the controller. Since the number of Packet RSPpackets to be sent by the controller is known to the node 1 (based onthe fraction of the total packet count in the packet request), and eachPacket RSP has a unique ID in the overall packet sequence for theupdate, the receiving node 1 (111 a) can determine when it has receivedall of the currently expected Packet RSP messages. Although not shown,if one or more Packet RSPs are missing (or corrupt, as determined at alower level of the protocol), the receiving node 1 (111 a) requests themissing or corrupt packet(s) from the controller.

In step S5, upon collecting all Packet RSPs expected on the basis of itsmost recent Packet REQ, the receiving node 1 (111 a) determines if ithas received the all packets needed to accumulate the portions of thefirmware update so as to obtain a complete copy of the firmware update.If not, processing at the node 111 a braches from step 5 to loop back tobegin another request/receive process by sending another Packet REQmessage in step S3. The new request includes a new packet ID or sequencenumber specifies the fraction of the total packet count, to effectivelyidentify the number of packets in the next segment of firmware updatepackets. In response, the controller 107 on the gateway 101 responds tothe subsequent packet request by sending the next series of responsepacket (Packet RSP) messages to the node 1 (111 a). In a floodingnetwork implementation, a wireless nodal network like 117 can distributeeach of the transmitted packets to all of the nodes 111 on the network(see FIG. 1).

The loop through steps S3 to S5 continues so long as the node 1 (111 a)does not yet have all of the packets with portions of the firmwareupdate. At S5, when node 1 (111 a) has received and accumulated theentire firmware update, processing branches to step S6. The node 1 (111a) ceases to loop for acquiring packets and installs the complete copyof the firmware update for future execution. In the example, the nodeprocessor of that particular node reboots into bootloader (BL) mode withthe new firmware. Updating is complete for node 1 (111 a).

During the process just described, the controller 107 may send out oneor more additional firmware update announcements with different handles,targeting one or more other hardware models in the wireless nodalnetwork 117. Each wireless enabled node 110 independently andconcurrently collects its appropriate firmware update selectively fromthe controller as shown for node 1 (111 a) in FIG. 2. A wireless enablednode 110 that is actively collecting a given firmware update for itselfis not available to act as a “friend” for distributing of other firmwareupdates (those with different handles). While actively collected anupdate for itself from received packets, a node can only act as a“friend” for distributing the firmware update that it is collecting.

FIG. 2 (right side) also depicts how node 1 (111 a) may act as a“friend” for a similar type node 2 (111 b). Node 2 (111 b) may typicallyreceive packets carrying the firmware update for the first type nodesvia flooding through the network 117 similar to the communications fromthe controller 107 to the node 1 (111 a) and will normally implement aprocess (steps not separately shown) similar to steps S2 to S5 discussedabove relative to the first node 111 a. During those steps, theprocessor in the similar type node 2 (111 b) may determine that one ormore Packet RSPs are missing (or corrupt, as determined at a lower levelof the protocol). In that situation, the node 111 b could request themissing or corrupt packets from the controller as did node 1 (111 a). Inthe example, however, the node 111 a has the missing packet(s), and thesecond node 111 b can transmit a request for any missing packet (orranges of packets) that Node 2 has found it is missing, as shown at stepS7, to the node 1 (111 a) through the network. This packet requestspecifies the missing packet by packet ID or a range of packets bystarting packet ID and fraction or number of packets. Acting as a“friend,” the node 1 (111 a) in step S8 can respond to each requests fora specific packet (or ranges of packets) that node 2 (111 b) has foundit is missing. This speeds receipt by node 2 of the missing packets, ascompared to fetching from the controller, and reduces the controller'stransactional load.

Although only two wireless enabled nodes are shown in FIG. 2, manywireless enabled nodes in a network might be receiving firmware updatessimultaneously, and acting as “friends” to each other. In one example,only part of the firmware update is held by node 1 (111 a) or any otherwireless enabled node 110 in RAM at any given time. Other parts of theupdate and transferred to flash memory, the ultimate destination of thecomplete copy of the firmware update. Node 2 (111 b) can only receiverequested packets from node 1 (111 a) if they still reside in RAM innode 1 (111 a); otherwise, node 2 (111 b) must eventually fetch theneeded packets from the controller 107. In principle, however, and inpossible alternate example implementations, any packet that a wirelessenabled node 110 holds in either RAM or flash memory might be sharedwith another wireless enabled node 110.

In this “Friend” example, the node 1 (111 a) of the first type receiveda packet request for at least one of the received packets that ismissing or corrupt, from a requesting wireless enabled node 2 (111 b)that did not successfully receive the packet(s) from the gateway. Inresponse, the node 1 (111 a) of the first type transmits the requestedreceived packet(s) through the wireless nodal network 117 for at leastthe requesting wireless enabled node 2 (111 b). If flooded through thenetwork 117, the transmitted packet(s) also may be received and consumedby other nodes 111 of the first type, e.g. if previous transmission ofthe packet(s) from the gateway was unsuccessful at other nodes 111 ofthe first type.

FIG. 3 is a logical flow chart (rather than the signal flow diagram ofFIG. 2), which details the flow of states in the update controller 107(left) and of a typical wireless enabled node 110 (right) during theselective firmware update process. The operations of the controller 107(left) are shown in the flow chart of FIG. 3 and represent somewhat moredetail than the corresponding aspects of controller operation in thesignal flow of FIG. 2.

The light fixture node 110 in FIG. 3 may be a node of the first typecorresponding in type to the identifier in the announcement and updatepackets or a node of a different type. Some aspects of the flow of nodeoperations in FIG. 3 expand on aspects of the node operations in FIG. 2which the node identifier in the announcement and update packets matchthe type of node 110 (far right starting at S31). Other aspects relateto node operations when the node receives packets with a different nodetype identifier but acts as a “Friend” to other nodes that may needreceived packets (somewhat in the middle starting at S41).

At a high level, it should be apparent from the flows in FIG. 3 that themore complex role has been assigned to the individual wireless enablednode 110, with the controller 107 acting merely as an annunciator andon-demand distributor or server of firmware packets. The controllerwaits a conservative, fixed time (presently 300 msec) between Packet RSPtransmissions in order to give each Packet RSP time to propagate to thetarget wireless enabled node(s) and be received.

FIG. 3 shows the update controller 107 initially in its idle state (S11)and shows the light fixture type node 110 initially in its idle state(S21). In step S12, the update controller 107 obtains a firmware updateintended for one of various different types of wireless enabled nodesdeployed in the wireless nodal network 117 of FIG. 1. The controller 107causes the wireless enabled computing device to send an announcement ofavailability of the firmware update (at S13) through the wireless nodalnetwork 117 to the wireless enabled nodes. As shown in FIG. 3, thewireless enabled light fixture node 110 may be presumed to be in an idle(available) state at S21 until the firmware update announcement isreceived at S22 from the update controller 107. As discussed earlier,the “handle” portion of the announcement includes an identifier for thehardware type for the nodes that should install the firmware update andmay include other information such as the overall total packet count fortransport of the complete firmware update and/or a firmware versionidentifier for the newly available update. After sending theavailability announcement, the update controller 107 waits for a packetrequest (REQ) as shown at step S14.

At the node 110, the next step (S23) after receiving the announcement isa check of whether or not the hardware (HW) type identifier in theannouncement handle matches that of the particular wireless enabled node110. If there is a match at S23, processing branches to an active stateS31. If there is not a match at S23, meaning that the particular node110 is a different type of node than that indicated by the node typeidentifier in the firmware update availability announcement, thenprocessing instead branches to a state S41 in which the node 110 may actas a “Friend” for nodes of the type corresponding to the identifier inthe announcement.

Consider first the case in which the hardware type in the announcementhandle matches that of the wireless enabled node, and therefore thewireless enabled node 110 enters the active state at S31. The nodeprocessor for respective node 110, oversees its own accumulation of thefirmware update in preparation for reboot. The Active wireless enablednode 110 cycles through a number of states as needed to implement theexchanges with the update controller 107, for sending Packet REQs to thecontroller, receiving Packet RSPs, and checking for completion of theexpected firmware update packet inventory (e.g. the entire image of theupdate from the content of the specified total number of packets).

In the example process flow, at step S32, the node processor causes thelight fixture node 110 to send a packet request (REQ) through thenetwork 117 to the update controller 107 in the device/gateway 101. Inan initial response to the announcement or after receiving an expectednumber of packets in one or more response messages, the request (REQ)sent at S32 will ask the controller 107 for a number of the packetscontaining portions of the identified firmware update, for example, asin the discussion step S3 of FIG. 2. At other times, however, the packetrequest (REQ) sent in step S32 of FIG. 3 may be a request for a missingpacket or a missing range of packets, similar to the request sent instep S7 in the discussion of FIG. 2.

As in step S3 in the example of FIG. 2, each Packet REQ sent in step S32of FIG. 3 repeats back the original announcement's handle (e.g. at leastthe node type identifier) to the update controller 107. The packetrequest in the examples also specifies a subset or range of packets,e.g. by specifying a first or ‘start’ packet sequence number and asubset packet count (generally a fraction of the total firmware updatepacket count). The start packet ID number from the sequence togetherwith the fraction of the total count identify a specific packet group orrange forming a subset of packets from among the overall sequence thatwill carry the particular firmware update.

At this point in the process flow, the update controller 107 has beenwaiting at S14 for a packet request (REQ). Upon receipt of the packetrequest (REQ) through the network 117, from the node 110, the updatecontroller 107 transitions processing to begin a series of steps at S15a to send some number of packets of the firmware update back through thenetwork 117 per the received packet request (REQ). Similar to step S4 ofthe example in FIG. 3, the update controller 107 on the gateway 101responds to the packet request by sending one or more response packet(Packet RSP) messages to the light fixture node 110. Each of theseresponse packets repeats the handle, and each of these packets includesa packet ID number in the range indicated in the request as well ascontent data (in this case, a portion of the firmware update). Thisexample shows three packet transmission steps S15 a to S15 c, althoughthere may be as few as one packet transmission, transmission of twopackets or transmission of some number of packets more than three inresponse to any particular packet request message (REQ). Whentransmission of the requested packets is complete, the update controller107 returns to step S14 to wait for another packet request message froma wireless enabled node.

In the Active mode (after S31), when the wireless enabled node 110 sendsa packet request (REQ) in step S32, the processor in the wirelessenabled node 110 also starts a timer (S33) and enters a loop in which itchecks (at S35) to determine if the period of the timer has expired andthen waits if the period has not yet expired. If one or more packets arereceived from the controller 117 (as represented by S34), packet receipttriggers a reset of the timer in S33. This loop continues as packets arereceived, as long as packets are being received without an interveningdelay longer than the period of the timer. Processing branches out ofthe loop to step S37 if the timer expires, e.g. because a packetresponse (RSP) has not been received in response to the packet request(REQ) or after receipt of the last of a number of requested packetresponses have been received (responsive to controller transmissions S15a to S15 c in the example).

Hence, while the timer is running and being reset through the loop S33to S35, the wireless enabled node typically receives some number ofpackets containing portions of the firmware update, from the controller107, based on and/or following the request sent at S32. Receipt of thepackets for processing of the contents is shown at S34 inside the stepS36 for parsing the packets from the response (RSP). In a flooding typenetwork or in some other types of nodal wireless networks, the node 110may forward received packets through the network to others of the nodes110.

As noted, each packet contains the identifier of the one type ofwireless enabled node, which at this point in the example is the typeidentifier that matches the radio hardware type in the particular lightfixture node 110 that receives the packets. Upon receipt of the packets,the wireless enabled node 110 parses the packets in step S36 toaccumulate contents, in this case portions of the firmware update. Theportions of the firmware update are stored in RAM. Although not shown asa separate step, the accumulation of firmware contents in S36 may bebased upon detection of the matching type identifier in the receivedpackets. For example, if packets with other type identifiers arereceived along with the packets containing the matching identifier, thepackets with the different node type identifier(s) are not parsed forcontent extraction but are temporarily use to provide packets to othernodes when operating in the friend state (S41).

After processing (at S36) received packets following a packet requestand/or after the timer has expired (at S35), processing reaches stepS37. In that step, the processor of the wireless enabled node 110determines if any of the requested packets is missing. If so, processingbranches back to S32 and S33 to repeat the steps for packet request,receipt and timing, although the request is for the missing packet(s)and presumably the wireless enabled node 110 will receive the requestedmissing packet(s). At step S37, when the processor of the wirelessenabled node 110 determines there are no missing packets from the mostrecently requested subset, processing branches to step S38.

In step S38, the processor of the wireless enabled node 110 determineswhether or not the particular node has received and accumulated acomplete copy of the firmware update (firmware RXd). For example, thenode processor may check whether or not the node 110 has received andaccumulated packets having the sequence numbers corresponding to theentire total packet count received in the firmware availabilityannouncement (back at step S22). If not, then the process flow branchesback to steps S32, S33 to repeat the steps for packet request, receiptand timing to obtain the next subset of the packets. The steps S32 toS38 repeat to one or more times to obtain additional subsets of packetsuntil the wireless enabled node 110 has accumulated a complete copy ofthe applicable firmware update, at which time the processing flowbranches from S38 to step S39. Although not shown as a separate step,before a reboot at S39, the processor of the node 110 may perform one ormore error checks to insure that the firmware update is valid and/or hasbeen received without introducing data errors. When the firmware iscompletely received (firmware RXd), the firmware may be transferred fromRAM to flash memory, and the node processor in the wireless enabled node110 reboots (at S39). In this way, the wireless enabled node 119installs the complete copy of the firmware update for future execution.Firmware updating for the wireless enabled node 110 of the typeidentified in the announcement and the packets is complete.

Returning to step S23, assume now that the node 110 receives anannouncement in step S22 in which the handle contains a type identifierthat is different from the hardware type of the particular wirelessenabled node 110. Stated another way, at this point in the example, ifthe announcement of availability of the firmware update includes anidentifier of the first type of wireless enabled node, then theparticular wireless enabled node 110 is a node of a second typedifferent from the type identified in the latest received announcement.Hence, at step S23 at this point in the example, when the node processorchecks whether or not the hardware (HW) type identifier in theannouncement handle matches that of the particular wireless enabled node110, the node processor recognizes that there is no match. Theprocessing therefore branches from S23 to the state S41 in which thenode 110 may act as a “Friend” for nodes of the type corresponding tothe identifier in the latest announcement.

When the hardware (HW) type identifier in the announcement handle doesnot match that of the particular wireless enabled node 110, the wirelessenabled node operating in the “Friend” mode may assist in distributingthe update to other wireless enabled nodes. In the example, the wirelessenabled node 110 at S42 receives packet response messages (e.g. as sentfrom the controller 107 in steps like S15 a to 515 c) and stores atleast some number of such packets in RAM. In a flooding type network orin some other types of nodal wireless networks, the node 110 may forwardreceived packets through the network to others of the nodes 110. Asnoted, the packets contain a handle with the hardware (HW) typeidentifier, which at this point in the example does not match the typeof hardware at the particular wireless enabled node 110. Hence, the node110 temporarily stores received packets but does not parse the packetcontents for installation as in the Active mode (S31 through S39), basedon the non-matching node type identifier.

In the step S43 in the example of the “Friend” mode, the wirelessenabled node 110 may receive a packet request (REQ) for at least one ofthe received packets from a requesting wireless enabled node. Typically,the request is for one or more missing packets, identified as discussedearlier. If the node 110 has the requested packet(s) stored in RAM, thewireless enabled node 110 transmits the requested received/storedpacket(s) from that wireless enabled node 110 through the wireless nodalnetwork 117 for at least the requesting wireless enabled node.Additional nodes may receive and consume contents from the requestedmissing packets sent by the “Friend” node 110. In this way, the examplenode 110 temporarily stores packets in RAM to be shared, if requested,with other wireless enabled nodes.

When all packets for the non-matching hardware type identifier have beenreceived and/or there has been no request for any missing packet forsome period of time, the node processor causes the wireless enabled node110 to discard the received packets (for an identified type that doesnot match the hardware type of the particular node 110) including theportions of the firmware update. In this “Friend” example, the node 110discards packets based on the recognition that the identifier of thetype of wireless enabled node in the received packets and/or theidentifier in the announcement did not match the actual type of theparticular node 110.

FIG. 1 and the description thereof provides an overview of a system 100that may implement selective updating of programming via exchangesbetween an update controller 107 and one or more wireless enabled nodes110. FIGS. 2 and 3 and the descriptions thereof provide examples ofaspects of the signal and process flows for such selective updating ofprogramming. A system may implement such techniques using a variety ofdifferent hardware configurations for the computing device and thewireless enabled nodes. It may be helpful, however, to consider someexamples of suitable hardware implementations in a bit more detail.

FIGS. 4 and 5 depict logical, functional, and structural features of twoexamples of radio frequency communication enabled light fixturessuitable for use as two of the example types of wireless enabled nodesin a system like system 100 of FIG. 1. Specifically, FIG. 4 shows anexample of a light fixture 111 of node type 1 having a BT1 type radio;and FIG. 5 depicts an example of a light fixture 112 of node type 2having a BT2 type radio. For convenience, these two examples 111, 112have a number of elements that may be the same, e.g. the power supply405, the driver circuitry 420, the pilot LED 417, and the LED lightsource 420. The common elements of these light fixture type wirelessenabled nodes will be discussed first.

In the examples of FIGS. 4 and 5, each light fixture 111 or 112 is anintegrated light fixture that generally includes a power supply 405driven by a power source 402. Power supply 405 receives power from thepower source 402, such as an AC mains, battery, solar panel, or anyother AC or DC source. Power supply 405 may include a magnetictransformer, electronic transformer, switching converter, rectifier, orany other similar type of circuit to convert an input power signal intoa power signal suitable for light fixture 111 or 112. It will beappreciated that the present teachings encompass light fixtures that arenot so highly integrated, for example, that include a luminaire thatcontains the actual light source 420 and a somewhat separate module thatincludes other elements of the fixture, such as the power supply, drivercircuitry and the fixture control/communication system 415.

In the examples of FIGS. 4 and 5, each integrated light fixture typewireless enabled node 111 or 112 includes a light source and anassociated driver circuit. Various types of illumination light sourcesmay be used, such as one or more solid state light emitters, fluorescentlamps, halogen lamps, metal halide lamps, high intensity discharge lampsor the like. Examples of solid state emitters include silicon or galliumnitride based light emitting diodes (with or without incorporatedluminescent material such as a phosphor); one or more organic lightemitting diodes (OLEDs); one or more micro LEDs; one or more nanorod ornanowire LEDs; one or more laser diodes; etc. For purposes of specificexamples, each of the fixtures 111 of FIG. 4 and 112 of FIG. 5 includesa light emitting diode (LED) type light source, for example, a number ofwhite type LEDs represented by the LED type light source 420.

Each light fixture type wireless enabled node 111 or 112 furthersincludes a driver capable of supplying power suitable to the particulartype of light source. In the examples with LED light sources 420, eachdriver may be implemented by an intelligent LED driver circuit 410. Ofcourse, other LED driver circuits may be used. The intelligent LEDdriver circuit 410 is coupled to the LED light source 420 and drivesthat LED light source 420 by regulating the power to LED light source420. The intelligent LED driver circuit 410, for example, may provide aconstant quantity or power to LED light source 420 as its electricalproperties change with temperature, for example. The intelligent LEDdriver circuit 410 may include a driver circuit that provides power toLED light source 420 and operates a pilot LED 417. Intelligent LEDdriver circuit 410 may be a constant-voltage driver, constant-currentdriver, or AC LED driver type circuit that provides dimming through apulse width modulation circuit and may have one, two, three or manychannels for separate control of different LEDs or LED arrays.

Intelligent implementations of LED drivers like 410 may include amicro-control unit (MCU), one or more memories and appropriateinput/output interfaces such as power output port(s) and datainput/output ports. Examples of commercially available intelligent LEDdriver circuit 410 are available from EldoLED. Example implementationsof the LED driver circuit 410 may further include an AC or DC currentsource or voltage source, a regulator, an amplifier (such as a linearamplifier or switching amplifier), a buck, boost, or buck/boostconverter, or any other similar type of circuit or component. LED drivercircuit 410 outputs a variable voltage or current to the LED lightsource 420 that may include a DC offset, such that its average value isnonzero, and/or an AC voltage.

If provided, the pilot LED 417 indicates the state of the light fixture400, for example, during commissioning and maintenance processes (asdistinct from normal illumination operations). The example light fixturetype wireless enabled nodes 111 and 112 are line powered and remainoperational as long as power is available, although other types offixtures/nodes may have RF power, inductive power, solar power, batterypower or other alternative power instead of or in addition to powerderived from AC mains.

Each light fixture type wireless enabled node 111 or 112 in these twoexamples includes a fixture control and communication module 415 a or415 b. Each module 415 a or 415 b includes power distribution circuitry425 a or 425 b to supply power, in the example from an auxiliary poweroutput of the driver circuit 410, to the particular radio circuitry 430or 530 of the fixture 111 or 112.

The radios 430, 530 in the two wireless enabled nodes 111, 112 aregenerally similar in that each radio includes a micro-control unit (MCU)and wireless transceiver circuitry. Also, the wireless transceivercircuitry supports at least one protocol that is common to both radios,so that both wireless enabled nodes 111, 112 can communicate over thesame nodal wireless network 117 with each other and/or with otherwireless enabled nodes 110 or devices like device/gateway 101 in thatnetwork 117. The wireless transceiver circuitry in the nodes may beconfigured to operate in conformance with any suitable wirelessprotocol. In these examples, the wireless transceiver circuitry isconfigured to operate in conformance with the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)protocol in the 2.4 GHz radio frequency band assigned for use by the BLEprotocol. In these examples, however, the BT1 type radio 430 and the BT2type radio 530 are different in one or more respects, therefore thenodes 111 and 112 are different hardware types. Hence, the processors inthe MCUs in the radios of those example nodes receive and executedifferent firmware updates via selective updating procedures like thoseof FIGS. 2 and 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the BT1 type radio 430 of the fixture type wirelessenabled node 111 includes a micro-control unit (MCU) 440, and BLEwireless transceiver circuitry 450 of a first (1) type. As shown, MCU430 is coupled to LED driver circuit 410 and controls the lightingoperations of the LED light source 420 via the driver circuity 410. TheMCU 440 includes a first (1) type memory 442 (e.g. volatile RAM andnon-volatile flash memory or the like) and a node processor in the formof a first (1) type central processing unit (CPU1) 443. The memory 442stores firmware (FW1) of a first type for implanting the operations ofthe first type fixture node 111, for lighting control operations,commissioning, maintenance, and diagnostic operations and forcontrolling communications and/or data processing related to functionsof the lighting system 100. For example, the light fixture node 111 maybe an early generation fixture that uses a Nordic RF51 radio type SoCchip as radio BT1 430. The MCU 440 of the RF51 chip includes a M0 ARMtype processor as the CPU 443, and the MCU 440 of the RF51 chip includesa relatively small amounts of RAM and flash in memory 442.

As shown in FIG. 5, the BT2 type radio 530 of the fixture type wirelessenabled node 112 includes a MCU 540, and BLE wireless transceivercircuitry 550 of a second (2) type. As shown, MCU 530 is coupled to LEDdriver circuit 410 and controls the lighting operations of the LED lightsource 420 via the driver circuity 410. The MCU 540 includes a second(2) type memory 542 (e.g. volatile RAM and non-volatile flash memory orthe like) and a node processor in the form of a second (2) type centralprocessing unit (CPU) 543. The memory 542 stores firmware (FW2) of asecond type for implementing the operations of the second type fixturenode 112, for lighting control operations, commissioning, maintenance,and diagnostic operations and for controlling communications and/or dataprocessing related to functions of the lighting system 100. For example,the light fixture node 112 may be a newer generation fixture that uses aNordic RF52 radio type SoC chip as radio BT2 530. The MCU 540 of theRF52 chip includes a M4 ARM type processor as the CPU 543, the MCU 540of the RF52 chip includes a larger amounts of RAM and flash in memory542.

The BT2 radio 530, with its more powerful CPU processor and largermemory can store a larger firmware image for execution by the morepowerful processor than the BT1 type radio 430. As a result, the RF51based radio BT1 430 and the RF52 based radio BT2 530, and thus to thetwo different type wireless enabled fixture nodes 111, 112, requiredifferent firmware images and receive different firmware updates via theselective update procedures. The transceiver circuitry 450, 550 may alsobe somewhat different, e.g. so that 550 is more energy efficient, whichmay also lead to differences in firmware and updates.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of a general-purpose computersystem, by way of just one example of a hardware platform that may beconfigured to implement the gateway (wireless enabled computing device)101. The example wireless enabled computing device 101 will generally bedescribed as an implementation of a server platform or host typecomputer, e.g. as might be configured as a blade device in a server farmor in network room of a particular premises. Alternatively, the computersystem may comprise a mainframe or other type of host computer systemcapable of web-based communications, media content distribution, or thelike via the network 131 and the on-premises nodal wireless network 117.

The computer system 101 in the example includes a central processingunit (CPU) 652 formed of one or more processors, a main memory 653, massstorage 655 and an interconnect bus 654. The circuitry forming the CPU652 may contain a single microprocessor, the circuitry forming the CPU652 may contain a number of microprocessors for configuring the computersystem 101 as a multi-processor system, or the circuitry forming the CPU652 may use a higher speed processing architecture. The main memory 653in the example includes ROM, RAM and cache memory; although other memorydevices may be added or substituted. Although semiconductor memory maybe used in the mass storage devices 655, magnetic type devices (tape ordisk) and optical disk devices may be used to provide higher volumestorage.

The gateway type wireless enabled computing device 101 runs a variety ofapplications programs and stores and processes various information in adatabase or the like for control of the light fixtures at nodes 110,wall controllers (not shown) and any other elements of the lightingsystem 100 and possibly elements of an overall building managementssystem (BMS) at the premises. The programming and stored informationincludes one or more programs and firmware files related to theselective firmware update technique.

In operation, the main memory 653 stores at least portions ofinstructions and data for execution by the CPU 652, althoughinstructions and data are moved between memory 653 and storage 655 andthe CPU 652 via the interconnect bus 654. For example, the mass storage655 is shown storing FW files 656, such as updates of firmware for oneor more types of nodes 110. A portion or all of such an update file maybe transferred to main memory 653 and processed by the CPU 652 to dividethe update into portions for transport as contents of a sequence ofpackets to be sent over the network 117. The gateway device 101 has oneor more copies of software programming 107 (FIG. 1) for the firmware(FW) update controller. For example, a copy 107 a may be saved for longterm storage in the mass storage 655 and when appropriate uploaded tothe main memory 653 (as shown at 107 b). The main memory 653 stores thesoftware programming 107 b as needed for execution by the processor(s)forming the CPU 652. When so executed, the programming 107 b and thusthe CPU 652 configure the gateway type wireless enabled computing device101 to perform the functions of the update controller, for relevantaspects of the selective firmware updating procedures described herein.

The CPU 652, memory 653 and 655 may handle programs and files in asimilar fashion for other functions of the system 100, such as controlof the light fixtures at nodes 110, operation of any wall controllers(not shown) and any other elements of the lighting system 100 andpossibly control of elements of an overall building managements system(BMS) at the premises.

The computer system of the gateway 101 also includes one or moreinput/output interfaces for communications, shown by way of example as awireless transceiver 658 as well as one or more network interfaces 659for data communications via the network 131. Although other wirelesstransceiver arrangements may be used, the example gateway 101 utilizes aBluetooth type compatible with the particular iteration of Bluetoothprotocol utilized on the wireless nodal network 117. The Bluetoothtransceiver 658, for example, may be a Bluetooth Radio type BTn similarto any one of the BT1 to BT4 type radios of system 100 or a further typeradio specifically adapted for integration and operation in a computingdevice like that used for the gateway 101 that also is compatible withthe applicable Bluetooth protocol. Each interface 659 may be ahigh-speed modem, an Ethernet (optical, cable or wireless) card or anyother appropriate data communications device. The physical communicationlink(s) to/from the interface 659 may be optical, wired, or wireless(e.g., via satellite or cellular network).

Although not shown, the computer platform configured as the gateway 101may further include appropriate input/output ports for interconnectionwith a local display and a keyboard and mouse or with a touchscreen orthe like, serving as a local user interface for configuration,programming or trouble-shooting purposes. Alternatively, systemoperations personnel may interact with the computer system of thegateway 101 for control and programming of the system 100 from a remoteterminal device via the Internet or some other link via any network 131

The example FIGS. 1 and 6 show a single instance of a gateway typewireless enabled computing device 101. Of course, the functions of thegateway type device 101 may be implemented in a distributed fashion on anumber of similar platforms, to distribute the processing load.Additional networked systems (not shown) may be provided to distributethe processing and associated communications, e.g. for load balancing orfailover.

The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages ofcomputer systems like that of the gateway type wireless enabledcomputing device 101 generally are conventional in nature, and it ispresumed that those skilled in the art are sufficiently familiartherewith to understand implementation of the present system andassociated lighting control technique using suitable configurationand/or programming of such computer platform(s) based on the descriptionabove and the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 7 and 8 provide functional block diagram illustrations of generalpurpose computer hardware platforms. FIG. 7 illustrates a network orhost computer platform, as may typically be used to implement a server,such as the cloud sever 133 for the firmware update service in FIG. 1.FIG. 8 depicts a computer with user interface elements, as may be usedto implement a personal computer or other type of work station orterminal device like the terminal device 135 in FIG. 1, although thecomputer of FIG. 8 may also act as a server if appropriately programmed.It is believed that those skilled in the art are familiar with thestructure, programming and general operation of such computer equipmentand as a result the drawings should be self-explanatory.

A server type network connected computer platform, for example (FIG. 7),includes a data communication interface for packet data communication.The server computer also includes a central processing unit (CPU), inthe form of circuit(s) for one or more processors, for executing programinstructions. The server platform typically includes an internalcommunication bus, program storage and data storage for various datafiles to be processed and/or communicated by the server, although theserver computer platform often receives and/or distributes programmingand data via network communications through one or more packet datanetworks such as the network 131 in FIG. 1. The hardware elements,operating systems and programming languages of such server typecomputers are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that thoseskilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith. Of course, theserver functions may be implemented in a distributed fashion on a numberof similar hardware platforms, particularly to host the cloud servicefor firmware updates, so as to distribute the processing load.

A computer type user terminal device, such as a PC or tablet computer,similarly includes a data communication interface, a CPU, main memoryand one or more mass storage devices for storing user data and thevarious executable programs (see FIG. 8). A mobile device type userterminal (not separately shown) may include similar elements, but willtypically use smaller components that also require less power, tofacilitate implementation in a portable form factor. The various typesof user terminal devices will also include various user input and outputelements. A personal computer other work station, for example, mayinclude a keyboard and a cursor control/selection device such as amouse, trackball, joystick or touchpad; and a display for visualoutputs. A microphone and speaker enable audio input and output. Somesmartphones include similar but smaller input and output elements.Tablets and other types of smartphones utilize touch sensitive displayscreens, instead of separate keyboard and cursor control elements. Thehardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of suchuser terminal devices also are conventional in nature, and it ispresumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiartherewith.

As shown by the above discussion, some functions relating to theselective firmware update technique may be implemented on computersconnected for data communication via the components of a nodal wirelessnetwork and/or a more general data network, operating as wirelessenabled computing device, as a host or server platform for firmwareupdate service or as a user terminal for interaction therewith as shownin FIG. 1. Although special purpose devices may be used for the wirelessenabled computing device 101 and/or the server 133, such devices alsomay be implemented using one or more hardware platforms intended torepresent a general class of data processing device commonly used to rungateway and/or “server” programming so as to implement the updatecontroller or the cloud based firmware update service functionsdiscussed above, albeit with an appropriate network connection for datacommunication with other equipment described above.

As known in the data processing and communications arts, ageneral-purpose computer typically comprises a central processor orother processing device, an internal communication bus, various types ofmemory or storage media (RAM, ROM, EEPROM, cache memory, flash memory,disk drives etc.) for code and data storage, and one or more networkinterface cards or ports for communication purposes, as shown in thehardware examples of FIGS. 6 to 8. The software functionalities of suchcomputers or the like involve programming, including executable code aswell as associated stored data, e.g. files used for the updated firmwareimages, etc. Some of the software code, may be executed by the gatewayof FIG. 6 or by a more general purpose type wireless enabled computingdevice. Additional software code may be executable by thegeneral-purpose computer like that of FIG. 7 that functions as serverhosting the cloud based firmware update service 133. In operation, thecode is stored within the particular platform, e.g. device 101 or server133. At other times, however, the software may be stored at otherlocations and/or transported for loading into the appropriategeneral-purpose computer system. Execution of such code by a processorof the computer or other type platform enables the platform to implementportions of the selective firmware update methodology, in essentiallythe manner performed in the implementations discussed and illustratedherein.

Aspects of the selective software or firmware updating may be embodiedin programming, for example, for the wireless enabled nodes, thewireless enabled computing device or for a computer server providing thecloud service for the updates. Programming for a wireless enabled nodein the illustrated examples takes the form of firmware for the nodeprocessor typically the processor of the radio circuitry in the node.Programming for other programmable equipment may take the form ofsoftware. Program aspects of the technology may be thought of as“products” or “articles of manufacture” typically in the form ofexecutable code and/or associated data that is carried on or embodied ina type of machine readable medium. “Storage” type media include any orall of the tangible memory of the computers, processors or the like, orassociated modules thereof, such as various semiconductor memories, tapedrives, disk drives and the like, which may provide non-transitorystorage at any time for the executable code and data of the programming.All or portions of the programming may at times be communicated throughthe Internet or various other telecommunication networks. The firmwareupdates in the examples are communicated via the WAN 131 and thewireless enabled network; and a firmware update may include programmingto configure a node to implement the selective update procedure. By wayof another example, communications via one or more networks may enableloading of software (e.g. an update or the update controller program)from one computer or processor into another, such as, from the servercomputer 133 hosting the cloud service for firmware updates to thegateway type computing device 101. Thus, another type of media that maybear the programming elements includes optical, electrical andelectromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces betweenlocal devices, through wired and optical landline networks and overvarious air-links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such aswired or wireless links, optical links or the like, also may beconsidered as media bearing the programming. As used herein, unlessrestricted to non-transitory, tangible “storage” media, terms such ascomputer or machine “readable medium” refer to any medium thatparticipates in providing instructions to a processor for execution.

Hence, a machine readable medium may take many forms, including but notlimited to, a tangible storage medium, a carrier wave medium or physicaltransmission medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for example,optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage devices in anycomputer(s) or the like, such as may be used to implement the commandset customization and distribution of software, etc. shown in thedrawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, such as mainmemory of such a computer platform. Tangible transmission media includecoaxial cables; copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires thatcomprise a bus within a computer system. Carrier-wave transmission mediacan take the form of electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic orlight waves such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) andinfrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readablemedia therefore include for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk,hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD orDVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards paper tape, any otherphysical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM and EPROM,a FLASH-EPROM, flash memory in a nodal device, any other memory chip orcartridge, a carrier wave transporting data or instructions, cables orlinks transporting such a carrier wave, or any other medium from which acomputer can read programming code and/or data. Many of these forms ofcomputer readable media may be involved in carrying one or moresequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution.

The drawings and above discussed techniques represent just some examplesof equipment and ways to implement selective software updating. Itshould be appreciated, however, that the update technologies admit of arange of modifications and alternate control applications.

It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein havethe ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions withrespect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and studyexcept where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be usedsolely to distinguish one entity or action from another withoutnecessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or orderbetween such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,”“includes,” “including,” or any other variation thereof, are intended tocover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article,or apparatus that has, comprises or includes a list of elements or stepsdoes not include only those elements or steps but may include otherelements or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process,method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by “a” or “an” doesnot, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additionalidentical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises the element.

Unless otherwise stated, any and all measurements, values, ratings,positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are setforth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, areapproximate, not exact. Such amounts are intended to have a reasonablerange that is consistent with the functions to which they relate andwith what is customary in the art to which they pertain. For example,unless expressly stated otherwise, a parameter value or the like,whether or not qualified by a term of degree (e.g. approximate,substantially or about), may vary by as much as ±10% from the recitedamount.

In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen thatvarious features are grouped together in various examples for thepurpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is notto be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed examplesrequire more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather,as the following claims reflect, the subject matter to be protected maylie in less than all features of any single disclosed example. Hence,the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimedsubject matter.

While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the bestmode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modificationsmay be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may beimplemented in various forms and examples, and that they may be appliedin numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein.It is intended by the following claims to claim any and allmodifications and variations that fall within the true scope of thepresent concepts.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a wireless enabledcomputing device configured as an update controller, the computingdevice comprising a device processor, software storage, and a deviceradio frequency transceiver; a plurality of wireless enabled nodesconfigured into a nodal wireless network with the wireless enabledcomputing device, each respective wireless enabled node comprising anode radio frequency transceiver, a node processor, memory, and softwarestored in the memory for execution by the node processor to implementoperations of the respective wireless enabled node, wherein: theplurality of wireless enabled nodes includes a wireless enabled node ofa first type configured to execute stored software of a correspondingfirst type; the plurality of wireless enabled nodes includes a wirelessenabled node of a second type different from the first type of wirelessenabled node and configured to execute stored software of acorresponding second type different from the first type of software;wherein the device processor configures the wireless enabled computingdevice to: obtain a software update intended for each node of the firstwireless enabled node type; send an announcement of availability of thesoftware update, through the wireless nodal network to the wirelessenabled nodes, the announcement including an identifier of the firsttype of wireless enabled node; receive a packet request from thewireless enabled node of the first type through the wireless nodalnetwork sent in response to the announcement including the identifier ofthe first type of wireless enabled node; and in response to the receivedpacket request, send a number of packets from the wireless enabledcomputing device through the wireless nodal network to the wirelessenabled nodes, each packet containing the identifier of the first typeof wireless enabled node, and various ones of the packets containingdifferent portions of the software update; wherein the respective nodeprocessor of the wireless enabled node of the first type configures thewireless enabled node of the first type to: based on recognition of theidentifier of the first type of wireless enabled node in the packets,accumulate the portions of the software update from received packets toobtain a complete copy of the software update; and install the completecopy of the software update for future execution; and wherein therespective node processor of the wireless enabled node of the secondtype configures the wireless enabled node of the second type to discardthe received packets including the portions of the software update,based on recognition of the identifier of the first type of wirelessenabled node in the received packets.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinwhile receiving the transmitted packets through the wireless nodalnetwork or before installing the complete copy of the software update,the respective node processor of the wireless enabled node of the secondtype further configures the wireless enabled node of the first type to:receive a packet request for at least one of the received packets from arequesting wireless enabled node; and transmit the requested at leastone of the received packets through the wireless nodal network for atleast the requesting wireless enabled node.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein before discard of the packets, the respective node processor ofthe wireless enabled node of the second type further configures thewireless enabled node of the second type to: temporarily store thereceived packets in memory of wireless enabled node of the second type;receive a packet request for at least one of the received packets from arequesting wireless enabled node, at the wireless enabled node of thesecond type; and transmit the requested at least one of the receivedpackets from the other wireless enabled node of the second type throughthe wireless nodal network for at least the requesting wireless enablednode.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein, in each respective one or aplurality of the wireless enabled nodes, the respective node radiofrequency transceiver, the respective node processor and the respectivememory are elements of a respective single radio circuit.
 5. The systemof claim 4, wherein each respective single radio circuit is anintegrated system-on-a-chip (SoC).
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein: ineach respective wireless enabled node, the node radio frequencytransceiver, the node processor and the memory are elements of a singleradio circuit; the radio circuit of the first wireless enabled node hasa first type node processor or a first capacity memory; the radiocircuit of the second wireless enabled node has a second type nodeprocessor different from the first type node processor or a secondcapacity memory different from the first capacity memory; and thesoftware update intended for each node of the first wireless enablednode type conforms to the first type node processor or to the firstcapacity of the first memory.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein at leasta plurality of the wireless enabled nodes are configured as lightfixtures, each including a light source and a corresponding drivercircuit.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein: the light fixture of thefirst wireless enabled node has a first type light source and acorresponding first type driver circuit; the light fixture of the secondwireless enabled node has a second type light source and a correspondingsecond type driver circuit different the first type light source andfirst type driver circuit; and the software update intended for eachnode of the first wireless enabled node type is configured to facilitatecontrol of the first type light source via the first type drivercircuit.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein: in each respective one ofthe of wireless enabled nodes, the software stored in the memory of therespective wireless enabled node is firmware for execution by the nodeprocessor of the respective wireless enabled node; and the softwareupdate is a firmware update.
 10. A method comprising steps of: obtaininga software update intended for a first one of a plurality of differenttypes of wireless enabled nodes deployed in a wireless nodal network;operating a wireless enabled computing device to send an announcement ofavailability of the software update through the wireless nodal networkto the wireless enabled nodes, the announcement including an identifierof the first type of wireless enabled node; receiving at the wirelessenabled computing device a packet request from at least one of thewireless enabled nodes deployed in the wireless nodal network sent inresponse to the announcement based on a determination responsive to theidentifier in the announcement that the at least one of the wirelessenabled nodes is of the first type; in response to the received packetrequest, sending a number of packets from the wireless enabled computingdevice through the wireless nodal network to the wireless enabled nodes,wherein: each packet contains the identifier of the first type ofwireless enabled node, and various ones of the packets contain differentportions of the software update; receiving the transmitted packetsthrough the wireless nodal network at the wireless enabled nodes; basedon recognition of the identifier of the first type of wireless enablednode in the packets, each respective wireless enabled node of the fisttype: (a) accumulating the portions of the software update from thereceived packets to obtain a complete copy of the software update, and(b) installing the complete copy of the software update for futureexecution; and another wireless enabled node, of a second type differentfrom the first type of wireless enabled node, discarding the receivedpackets including the portions of the software update, responsive torecognition of the identifier of the first type of wireless enabled nodein the received packets.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein thesoftware update is a firmware update.
 12. The method of claim 10,further comprising, while receiving the transmitted packets through thewireless nodal network or before installing the complete copy of thesoftware update: receiving a packet request for at least one of thereceived packets from a requesting wireless enabled node, at one node ofthe first type; and transmitting the requested at least one of thereceived packets from the one node of the first type through thewireless nodal network for at least the requesting wireless enablednode.
 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising, while receivingthe transmitted packets through the wireless nodal network or beforediscarding the transmitted packets: temporarily storing the receivedpackets in memory of the other wireless enabled node; receiving a packetrequest for at least one of the received packets from a requestingwireless enabled node, at the other wireless enabled node; andtransmitting the requested at least one of the received packets from theother wireless enabled node through the wireless nodal network for atleast the requesting wireless enabled node.
 14. The method of claim 10;wherein: the announcement of availability of the software update furtherincludes a packet count indicating total number of packets forcommunication of the software update; the steps of receiving a packetrequest and sending a number of packets are repeated multiple times,each repetition communicating a number of packets smaller in number thanthe total packet count, until total number of packets transmittedreaches the total packet count; portions of the software updatecontained in the smaller number of packets sent in each repetition ofthe sending step are different; and portions of the software updatecontained in the total number of packets transmitted together form thecomplete copy of the software copy for future execution.